The present invention is drawn to a locator system. More particularly, the present invention is drawn to a locator device for locating a desired item based on satellite location information, and utilizing a cellular communication network.
It is presently difficult to locate and accurately track the movement of mobile items such as automobiles, pets, and people. However, given the present concern over abductions and car thefts, it is highly desirable to be able to quickly, efficiently and accurately determine the location of mobile items, and track movement of the mobile items. Present systems for determining and tracking the location of mobile items are subject to a number of significant disadvantages. Further, once detected, there is presently no organized system or method by which the located entity can be recovered.
For instance, there are current locator systems which rely on two-way radio locating devices. In other words, the item to be located is first fitted with a radio transmitter. Persons who wish to locate the item are equipped with a radio receiver. By using certain well known techniques, the item to be located can be located based on the two-way radio communication which takes place between the transmitter and receiver. This system has significant disadvantages. First, location can only be accomplished within several hundred feet of the actual location of the item to be located. In addition, such two-way radio transmitters commonly have a very limited range. When the radio receiver is out of the transmitters range, location is essentially impossible.
A second method of locating utilizes a strictly cellular communications network to locate the item. The item to be located is fitted with a cellular transmitter and the item is located based on triangulation from a plurality of cell site transmitter towers. However, this method also has significant disadvantages. A third party must be employed to perform the triangulation technique in order to do any location, whatsoever. In addition, the accuracy of this type of location technique is dependent upon the power of the individual cell site in which triangulation is taking place. The accuracy can be anywhere between three blocks (or approximately 300 feet) and in excess of three miles. Further, the triangulation in such a system only covers the area in which the particular cellular transmitting tower is presently controlling the cellular communication. Finally, in more remote areas, there is a far greater geographic spread between cellular transmitter towers. This makes the triangulation technique even less accurate.
In addition, neither of the above-mentioned systems (either the two-way radio locator system, or the cellular triangulation locator system) provides any mechanism or system for processing location information once it is obtained from the item to be located. Thus, any response generated based on these signals would typically be slow and inefficient. Further, response times of such systems typically suffer because the mobile item to be located, by its very nature, is typically moving. Prior systems do not provide any efficient mechanisms for extrapolating to what is believed to be a future destination of the item to be located.